Rely on a few clever fashion tips and tricks to fake those extra inches.
Fitted jeans with a distinct flare at the bottom create the illusion of a longer leg — especially when the hem hits the top of your shoes (heels, of course!) The trick here is to keep the fit of the jean super-slim through the leg, and to make sure the waistband hits your natural waist — not any lower. For optimal height, be sure to pair your flares with a waist-length top, or a blouse you can tuck in.
It’s common fashion folklore that small women simply cannot wear floor-grazing skirts and dresses, but luckily that’s been proven entirely false. In fact, a well-cut maxi skirt can actually give you the appearance of looking taller, as evidenced by petite gals like Rachel Bilson, Rachel Zoe, and Mary-Kate Olsen. Choose solid versions that skim the length of your body, which will create a long vertical line (forego anything with thick pleats or too many layers.) Be sure to keep your top fitted—a tucked-in T-shirt and a cropped leather jacket, for example—so as to not drown in fabric. Also, make sure the skirt’s hemline is as long as you can go without tripping, and add a pair of wedges or heels underneath.
Here’s a small trick that can change the way you shoe shop: Shoes that have a low-cut vamp instantly elongate your leg (and make them look slimmer, as well) when you’re wearing skirts, shorts, and dresses. What’s a vamp? It’s the portion of a shoe that cuts across your foot at the front. So, a low vamp cuts across the base of the toes, while high vamp can come up the foot and possibly up to the ankle. If you’re able to find a pair that matches your skin tone, like the image above, that’s even better to give the illusion of mile-long legs.
When you’re petite, it’s just a fact that — when it comes to skirts and dresses — you should either go super-long, or super-short (translation: avoid calf-length and knee-lengths). Mini-skirts show more skin, which creates the illusion of a longer leg. While ankle straps typically aren’t ideal for short ladies (they cut off your leg), they can work with super-short skirts since more skin is being shown. Of course, if you’re wearing a mini, make sure it’s not offensively short—let’s keep it chic, ladies.
Obvious, yes, but piling your hair on top of your head really does gives a taller impression, again creating a more vertical line. Same goes for hair that’s simply voluminous—it adds inches! Time to put away that flatiron, friends.